Spurk

Spurk (In Armenian Սփիւռք pronounced Spiurk meaning diaspora) is an Armenian literary and public weekly, periodical, or journal, published since 1958 in Beirut, Lebanon.

First published in a tabloid size by the Armenian literary figure Simon Simonian as a weekly, and then as a biweekly (once every two weeks). Initially led by an independent line away from traditional Armenian political party lines, it was a prominent Armenian language publication with literary, historical, social and artistic coverage.Spurk also had a large network of readers and authors from different countries (among them authors from the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic like Hovhannes Shiraz, Silva Kaputikyan, Kevork Gubelyan etc.) in addition to a large number of writers and poets from the Armenian diaspora. Among with a few other Armenian journals like Nayiri, Pakin, Shirak etc., Spurk became the focus of Armenian literary and intellectual life in the region of Middle East throughout the 1950s, 1960s and beyond.

In 1975, with the onset of the Lebanese Civil War, Kevork Ajemian took over the publication of the periodical from Simon Simonian, but kept the literary and artistic orientation and focus of the publication. Kevork Ajemian continued with the periodical until 1989.

Upon death of Kevork Ajemian, it was revealed he was one of the founding members of ASALA alongside Hagop Hagopian (real name Harutiun Tagushian) and pastor Rev. James Karnusian.

After Kevork Ajemian's decision to emigrate to France where he resided until his death, and from 1990 onward, he sold the licence of the periodical Spurk to the left-wing Armenian Popular Movement (seen as the political mouthpiece of the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) in Lebanon).

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